The Prestige Motive

Inspired by “Mao’s Great Famine” (Chapter 1)

Have you ever made a decision motivated by the desire for prestige? If you have, I’m certainly not judging, because I have too.

For some, status is more valuable than material gain. But why? It could be because their culture places greater importance on how they are viewed by others versus how rich they are materially. It could also be due to low self-esteem and being admired feels like a form of validation to them, which could’ve been a result of their upbringing as well.

Whatever the case may be, a question arises that I believe is worthy of consideration.

Is it wrong?

I think the answer to that question is rather nuanced. After all, I have yet to meet a fellow human who wants to feel negatively about themselves, and I have also yet to meet a person who doesn’t want to be recognized (whether publicly or privately) for being successful in an endeavor that matters to them. If admiration contributes to having a healthy amount of self-confidence, then who’s to say that it’s wrong to want it for ourselves?

Besides, what we want to be recognized for could be genuinely noble.

Where’s the line?

So, at what point are we crossing the line when it comes to our desire to be admired?

Actually, I think a better question to ask is: To what extent is that desire influencing our decisions?

Is it the primary motivating factor? If it is, does that mean our ability to be secure in ourselves is dependent on the opinions of others? Are we, in effect, allowing others to be in control of how we view ourselves? Could being solely motivated by external validation lead to being hyper focused on ourselves to the point where we become unbalanced? Ultimately, how will our own mental health and our relationships with those around us be impacted?

I doubt I’m alone in the feeling that being heavily driven by the prospect of admiration does more harm than good.

Ideally, none of our decisions would be made with selfish motives. But realistically, the desire to be admired could very well play a part in the decisions we make, whether they be minor day-to-day choices or an entire life course that we choose to pursue. Therefore, one could benefit from an honest self-examination with the help of the above questions.

Chairman Mao’s push to lead the socialist world was driven heavily by prestige and the desire to be admired, but history reveals the consequences of his ambition. What else can a book about the Great Leap Forward get us to reflect on? Be sure to subscribe to find out.